Botox IS My Beauty Routine :: Anti-Aging for Practical Moms

Disclaimer :: I am in no way a medical professional; this is solely my experience with the Botox. Please consult your doctor if you have any questions or concerns regarding your own health.

I am not a girly-girl. I don’t often wear makeup or get my nails done. I don’t tan, use fancy beauty products, and I’ve never wished for a spa day. When I get a haircut, I leave with it wet because I don’t consider a blowout worth my time.

So it surprises some people when I tell them I get Botox. I got my first injection shortly after my last child was born, and I haven’t missed an appointment since.  

Girl, Fix Your Face

I decided to get Botox four years ago because I looked into the mirror and saw exactly who I was — a very weary mother of three. I just looked tired despite getting enough sleep each night. The typical advice for an exhausted mom is to indulge in a spa treatment or start using the newest skincare line, and that’s not bad advice.

But I didn’t have the time or energy to get facials or massages. Don’t get me wrong, I got my “me time,” but that time was for creative hobbies that fueled my soul, not magic cream to fix my face. I’m a practical person, and it did not make sense to me to spend valuable time and money on products that, no matter how impressive, couldn’t do what Botox can.

I also had what I call a “really mean face.” You may know it by another name, but we’ll call it RMF here. My older boys would say: Mommy, you look mean. Are you mad? I wasn’t! But I am a person who carries a lot of tension in my face. I clench my jaw and furrow my brow when I focus. Before Botox, I would often rub my forehead and around my eyes, because the muscles were so tense they hurt. I didn’t exactly exude “friendly.”

My face did not match how I felt inside, and it was discouraging to think even my children noticed this.  

No Maintenance to Low Maintenance

My final reason for wanting Botox was to fit right into my beauty routine. I already mentioned I am not a girly-girl, but I was a little beyond low maintenance by the time I decided to get Botox. I was no maintenance. Nothing was happening beyond showering and sunscreen, and I needed something to jump-start my desire to invest in myself. There was always something more urgent with three young kids than taking care of aesthetics, but I knew I could find 15 minutes once every three months.    

Best. Nap. Ever.

I called up a well-respected plastic surgeon in town and made an appointment with his nurse injector. I chose this route because the patient outcome is everything for a plastic surgeon. Their reputation depends on great results. I could trust the staff to be highly skilled and professional and for the Botox to be fresh.

At the first appointment, I made various facial movements, and the nurse mapped the muscle movements in my face. We talked about what I hoped to gain from Botox. I wanted to look rested and approachable, nothing more.

I was nervous at the thought of putting needles in my face, but my nurse had a great solution. She distracted me by using what looked like an electric toothbrush on my scalp. She explained that my brain would focus on the vibrating sensation and not the needle, and she was totally right. I barely noticed. Ten or so tiny needle pricks later, and I was done! It took about a week, and then all of a sudden, I looked like I’d had a 15-hour nap! I looked refreshed, and looking refreshed is a great start to actually feeling refreshed.

Botox Fan Girl

I’m now four years into quarterly Botox injections. People don’t ask me if I get Botox. Instead, they say things like “You look relaxed” or “Your skin is glowing.”

Sometimes my skin is glowing, but that is genetics, sunscreen, and hydration, not Botox. The Botox relaxes the muscles in my forehead and near my eyes, so my skin becomes the focus. My face still moves, I can still give my kids “the look,” but when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I see how I feel on the inside.